Dr. Bishop – agricultural researcher

Charles Johnson Bishop was born January 6, 1920 in Semans, Saskatchewan, the son of Lewis and Nellie (Illsley) Bishop. He received his public and high school education in Wolfville, Berwick and Kentville after the Bishops moved to the Annapolis Valley.

The son of a well-known Berwick merchant, Charles Bishop obtained a B.Sc degree from Acadia University in 1941. While at Acadia, he was awarded the E.Eaton Scholarship and Dewolfe Bursary. He attended the University of Western Ontario from 1941-42 and, from 1942-45, served as a meteorologist in the R.C.A.F. Subsequently, he continued his education in Botany at Harvard University, graduating with Masters and Ph.D. degrees in 1947.

From 1947 to 1952, he was both agricultural research officer at the Dominion Experimental Farm, Kentville and associate professor of genetics at Acadia. From 1952 to 1959, he was superintendent of the experimental farm and a research professor at Acadia. After one year exchange as superintendent of the Summerland, B.C. experimental farm, he joined the Genetics and Plant Breeding Research Institute in Ottawa and was later appointed associate director (Horticulture) for the Program Directorate, Research Branch, Canada Department of Agriculture. At that time, his position was production co-ordinator of the Research Branch Planning and Evaluation Directorate.

Charles Bishop has been the recipient of many honours. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1958, a Fellow of the American Society of Horticulture Sciences in 1968 and Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada, 1971. He was awarded the Jubilee Medal in 1977.

Dr. Bishop’s administrative ability was reflected in the fact he was chairman of the Canadian Horticultural Council Research Committee and many other committees on biological and horticultural research.

The author of 24 papers on original scientific research, he was perhaps best known for his X-ray and thermal neutron-induced mutations in apples. In this work, he demonstrated these radiations could be used to produce colour mutations in certain varieties. He also discovered and described a new type of male-sterility in tomatoes and directed a breeding project that lead to the release of the “Kent” and “Scotia” varieties.

Charles Bishop contributed to community activities as a member of the Rotary Club of Ottawa, assistant Cub and Scout master and president of the Broadview Home and School Association. His hobbies included curling and photography. His wife was the former Katherine Corey of Kentville and, together, they had one son, John.